Kindess is the Cure
by MegaTJ
Summary: A pony that never smiles wanders into Ponyville. Not long after howling begins to echo from Everfree Forest and ponies begin to get attacked in the night. Fluttershy finds that she will have to put her feelings for this young colt aside, find the her courage, and solve the mystery of the unknown monster of Ponyville. Can she solve it, or will she herself fall victim to the threat?
1. Day and Rime

Day and Rime

_The dark night was all but silent. Hoofsteps echoed around the forest as a small pony ran for his life. He dodged rocks and sidestepped around trees. His legs and hooves were sore and heavy with fatigue, but he kept pushing it. If he slipped up for just a second, the flame of his life could be extinguished in the blink of an eye. He looked back, hoping to see that he had lost his pursuer. It was nowhere to be seen. The young colt slowed his pace, but didn't completely stop. He strained his ears through the darkness, trying to hear the faintest sound. He didn't hear a thing._

"_I didn't lose it", he said in between heavy breaths. "Where is it?"_

_He continued to jog through the black forest until a blood freezing howl broke the silence. The colt didn't waste another second. He took off in a dead sprint. That howl was way too close for comfort. Not long after he began to run again, did he hear heavy panting and thunderous steps booming behind him. Another rush of adrenaline further quickened his pace. But it was useless, the monster was too fast._

_The creature was right on his tail, almost within reach. It swung a massive arm at its prey. The attack landed on the pony's right flank. The colt yelped in pain and spun out of control. His hooves slipped from under him and he came to a crashing stop against a tree. The stunned pony struggled to move, but the pain planted him to the spot. He picked his head up just enough to see the predator slowly creeping its way towards him. It licked its lips hungrily. He gulped; his fate had been sealed. He tried to move his legs again, only to find them petrified and useless. He could only gulp again as he saw his reflection in the beast's red eyes._

"_RRRAAARRR!" It bellowed. It lunged with bared fangs._

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!"

The scream echoed throughout the valley, scaring a few Phoenixes from their nests. The pony behind the outburst shot out of his sleep. He looked around him, taking in his bearings. He tried to slow his breathing, but a brief flash of the nightmare sped it back up. His cold sweat dripped to the ground, along with his tears.

He glanced at the calendar he nailed to the nearest tree. Twenty-five "X"'s crossed out the month's days. He sighed upon seeing the date. "It's not time yet", he sighed. "Not yet…"

The sky started to turn away from its dark purple color to a light gray. Princess Celestia was raising the sun for another glorious day in Equestria. "Sunlight", the young colt whispered, "My only friend. Welcome back." He relaxed completely at the sight of the new day. The purity of the sun washed his fears away. He gazed at his tiny camp of two items.

The saddlebag he had used as a pillow bore the name "Daylight". He stooped and slid it onto his back, ready to travel another day. He took the calendar down and stuffed it into his bag. With a deep sigh, he set off into the sunrise.

"You shouldn't be so quick to disown your friends", said a voice from his saddlebag. "The sun isn't your only comrade."

"I could never disown you, Rime", said Daylight. "The world wouldn't be able to handle how annoying you are."

"I resent that!" A small, ice blue, two-tailed fox jumped out of his pocket on the saddlebag and landed on Day's head.

"Calm down, it was just a joke", Day said flatly.

"Oh, I forgot you don't joke", Rime said. "Or smile much."

"Only around you."

"Where are we headed now?" The kitsune asked.

"You ask that question every morning." Day kept walking without answering his friend's question.

"Yeah, so?" Rime whined, "Where are we going?"

"We're running out of food, so we're going to the nearest town to pick some up."

"Do we even have any money?" Rime flopped down on his back, and started rummaging through Day's saddlebag.

"We should. If not, I can always make some", Day replied. "There's bound to be somepony that needs help with something somewhere."

Rime looked into the last pocket and found it to be as empty as the valley they were walking through. "Captain", he said nervously.

"What is it, Rime?"

"We're broke."

Day snapped his head around to see that the fox had a serious expression molded to his face. "No joke?"

"I swear it", Rime replied, "No money whatsoever."

"Perfect. We must have lost what we had left. I could have bet my tail we had at least twenty-four bits. Did you check the back pocket?"

"I checked'em all."

"Looks like you'll have to wait for your midday snack", Day observed. "At least until we have ten bits in our hooves and paws."

"Awwww!" Rime complained. "I can't survive a single day without my cakes!"

"You'll live", Day complained right back.

Despite what Day said, Rime decided to go for the dramatic approach. He stood on his hind legs and started to fake a slow death. "Limbs going weak, vision fading, can't go on. Tell my wife…I love her!" With that, he fell over on his back with his tongue hanging out.

Day chuckled. "Will a sponge-cake bring you back to the living?"

Rime opened an eye. "What flavor?"

Day smiled as widely as he could. "Strawberry."

"Ewww!" Rime gagged, "Nope, I think I'ma stay dead."

"Works for me", Day said, "At least I won't have to listen to you."

Rime played dead for about another two minutes. Then, he just couldn't take it anymore. "Ugh! Being dead is boring! Day, entertain me!"

The Earth Pony shook his head with a roll of his eyes. "Okay…I'm thinking of something blue…" Day started, bringing on his best friend's favorite game.

"The sky!" Rime screamed.

"Nope."

"The pond water!"

"Not even close." Day loved to play this joke on the kitsune. It never got old.

"Your saddlebag!"

"Negative."

"That bird!" Rime jumped on Day's head, and pointed to a blue jay that was flying above them.

"Would you like a hint?" Day asked with a smirk.

"Please!"

"It has four feet", Day stated.

Rime considered the clue. "Hmmm…Is it an Ice Kitsune?"

"Yes, but I'm thinking of one specifically."

"Yeah, but how many of those do we know?" Rime asked honestly.

"I can think of one."

Rime strained his thoughts trying to think of one. "Oh, I give up!"

"It's you", laughed Day.

Instantly, Rime became annoyed. In retaliation to Day's laughing, the fox used his shape shifting ability and transformed into an almost exact replica of the pony. He hopped down in front of his friend.

"Hahahahahaha!" Rime laughed in a high pitched tone.

"You got my tail wrong again", Day snickered.

The Day-shaped Rime looked at his flank and saw that instead of a yellow and red short tail, he had messed up and forgot to form Day's tail at all. He still had his dual, blue fox tails. "Oh, charcoal!" he cursed. Instead of correcting his mistake, Rime just reverted back to his old self.

"Hop on, I wouldn't want you to get lost", Day said.

Rime grumbled, but did as he was told. He knew better than to disobey Daylight.

The fox's sadness made Day feel bad. He knew this time Rime was brought down by the lack of sweets, instead of the shifting mistake. "Don't worry, Rime. I promise I'll get you a chocolate cake when I get the bits for it", Day said in an attempt to cheer his companion up.

"Really!?" Rime asked ecstatically.

"Of course! You know I don't break a promise", Day reassured.

"Wooohooo!" Rime cheered.

"Okay, settle down, we're almost there." Day smiled. The little kitsune was like a brother to him, and Day hated to see him sad.

"But where are we going?"

"Our next destination is a small town. We'll be there in a few minutes", Day answered.

"What's the name of this so-called 'town'?" Rime asked suspiciously.

Day chuckled at Rime's childishness. He looked back at the Kitsune, and then turned his eyes to the sky.

"Ponyville. The town's name is Ponyville."


	2. Welcome to Ponyville!

Welcome to Ponyville!

"Look Rime! There it is!" Daylight cheered to excite the Kitsune. They were at the top of a high hill overlooking the small town. By now the sun had been out for a few hours and Day was no longer suffering from morning fatigue.

Rime stood on his hind legs on top of Day's head to get a better look. "Yep, it sure is there!" exclaimed the kitsune.

Day stopped his excitement and dropped down into his alter ego, something Rime calls a "self-defense mode". "Let's go", he sighed. He walked down the small path that ran down the hill.

"Can't you at least be happy for a while? We found it! Smile, laugh, do something!" Rime cried.

"You know why I can't do that, Rime", Day reasoned, "At least not when somepony could be around."

"Oh, right…" Rime sighed, "I'm sorry, Daylight…"

"Cheer up, Rime. It's not your fault", Day said, "We both know there has to be a cure out there somewhere. And because there is, I won't always be like this."

"I know…"

"If you don't cheer up, I'll eat your cake", Day teased.

Rime panicked. "I'm happy! See? Hahahaha!" he laughed nervously.

Day chuckled to himself, "That's better."

"So, do you think we'll make any friends while we stay here?" Rime sat on his master's head, wagging his tails.

"You might. You know I don't have luck with that sort of thing." Day thought back to how closed up he always was around everypony but Rime. There was a time when he used to have friends, but that was long before his…well, disorder.

Rime rolled over on his back. A small, mischievous smile spread under his nose. "Hey, Day?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you ever kissed a mare before?"

The pale yellow pony blushed. "H-how did you even get on that subject?!" Then he thought about the kitsune's natural mischievous behavior. "Oh, wait, never mind."

"Answer the question!" Rime commanded immaturely.

"For your information: I haven't", Day answered. He was a terrible liar anyways, so it didn't matter whether he was honest or not. Rime would have known regardless of his answer.

Rime knew better than to push Day's buttons too much. His temper was a force to be reckoned with, even though Rime had never seen it that much. But since Day wasn't there yet, he decided to go further. "Then I'm going to help you get a kiss while we stay in Ponyville. The first mare you ogle at, I'm gonna get you to kiss her!"

"I guess I'll just wear a blindfold then", Day countered. Rime was dancing on his nerves, and he fought to control his anger.

"Suuuuuure", Rime said, elongating the word. He decided to offer a wager. "And if I can't, I won't eat a single cake for an entire week!"

"That would be something to see", Day snickered, "Okay, you're on!"

"But you can't just outright refuse it", Rime added, "If you get in the moment, you have to take it!"

"Deal, and you can't shape shift into a mistletoe", Day replied, setting his own rule.

"There goes Plan A", Rime growled sarcastically.

Day half smiled, but quickly dropped it. They were now just walking over the entrance bridge to Ponyville. "Oh, look. We're here."

"Good! Now go find a job so I can have some sweets!"

Day rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay. Do you see any help wanted signs anywhere?"

"I see a bulletin board over by that building." Rime extended his paw out far enough so that Day could see where he was pointing.

"Good eye, Rime." Day walked the short distance to the town hall, ignoring all of the ponies that passed him.

Five paces away from the board, Rime jumped down and ran the rest of the way to it. He eyed each notice carefully. "W-wo- want-ed", he read clumsily, "New pl-ow. Will pay." He moved on to the next one, unknowing that Day was just inches behind him. "He-lp want-ed. Help wanted! Day, this is it!"

"Okay, now read the rest of it", Day coaxed.

Rime turned back to the poster. "Th-itreen? Bits an hower?" The kitsune shook his head in frustration. "Day! This is too hard!"

"I'll read the rest, but first I'll point out your mistakes", Day replied. He pointed to the word "thirteen". "In this word, the 'r' sound comes before the 't', so it's 'thirteen' and not 'thitreen'."

Rime nodded, "Oh. That sounds better."

Day pointed to his next error. "This word has a silent 'h'. It doesn't make the 'huh' sound. So you have to pronounce it like 'our'. Get it?"

"Silent 'h'. Got it." Rime crossed his paws and reflected his mishaps. When he had it down, he went on. "Okay, now what's the whole thing say?"

"It says 'Help wanted: Thirteen bits an hour. Must be able to care for animals.'"

"Thirteen bits? That seems like a lot of money for one hour…" Rime pondered to himself.

"It must be a tough job", Day assumed. "You want to do this?"

"Yeah! We'll be able to get lots of cakes easy with that kind of pay!" Rime shouted.

"And afford a decent hotel. Let's find this place. It'll probably be a veterinarian clinic or something", Day said.

Rime hopped on Day's back. "I'll keep a look out for you."

Daylight walked in a random direction, hoping he would stumble upon the correct building. The flyer didn't have any directions, or even an address, so they were pretty much blind. Both of them searched the signs for anything that could point out their destination. A while later, they happened across Ponyville's exact center. Rime's whiskers twitched as he saw what stood not even three yards away from them. Day was too absorbed in walking to notice it.

"Hey look Day! A map!"

Day looked around and settled his gaze on it. "Finally we're getting somewhere!" The pony searched the map key for what they were looking for. "Let's see, library, apple farm, town hall, prank shop…I don't see any vets."

"Maybe we should just get the notice and show it to somepony. They could probably tell us", Rime suggested.

"We have no choice", Day sighed. Oh, Celestia he wasn't going to like it. It was bad enough he already had to face an employer. He walked back to the notice board, where a blue unicorn and a bouncing pink pony stood in front of it. He stopped.

Rime almost fell off Day at the sudden halt. That was one thing that just agitated him. "Hey! What gives!?" Rime yelled, "Why'd you stop?!"

Day didn't respond immediately. He took a deep breath. "Rime…just let them leave first", Day said.

The kitsune grumbled, but sat still. He hated to wait for anything. Day stood still until the unicorn said something to the pink pony. She suddenly started to cheer, and then took off in the opposite direction of Day and Rime. The unicorn ran after her with a sarcastic shake of his head. Day looked around to make sure the coast was clear before approaching the board. He snatched the paper down and gave it to Rime. The ice blue fox rolled it up and sat on top of it for safe keeping. Remembering where the library was, he turned around and walked straight. He thought that it would be the perfect place for directions. Not too crowded and almost completely silent. And nothing to make him smile. It didn't take long before they came upon the giant tree that held the library. Day hesitated before opening the door.

"Come on, Day!" Rime whined, "I'm not getting any younger here!"

"Fine." Day reached out, pushed open the door, and walked in, hoping that it was nearly empty.

A gray blue Pegasus approached him. "Welcome to the Golden Oaks library, where knowledge is just a page away! I'm Dream Runner, the assistant librarian. Twilight Sparkle has stepped out for the time being, sorry for any inconveniences. "

"Um…hello…" Day said awkwardly, "I'm just here for directions."

"Okay, exactly where are you headed?"

"Rime", Day instructed.

The kitsune unrolled the paper and hopped on Day's head again. He held it outward to Dream.

"We're looking for wherever it is we can find this job", Day explained.

Dream Runner read the sign. He immediately recognized the hoofwriting, and answered, "Oh! You should look for Fluttershy. She lives in a cottage just outside the busiest part of town. I can take you there if you like."

"No, thank you", Day quickly replied, "Just directions."

Dream Runner thought Day's response was odd, but continued anyway. "Just walk west of here until you pass under the welcome sign. You can't miss the cottage. It'll be the only one around."

"Okay, thank you", Day said. He turned and left, leaving the Pegasus confused and suspicious.

"He didn't ask what I was. That's a first", Rime said. He quickly placed the rolled up flier into one of the saddlebag's pockets.

"Maybe he just thought you were just a normal arctic fox", Day presumed.

"Maybe…"

They both remained silent as Day walked through the street. He looked around, trying to avoid meeting anypony's eye. That proved to be a tough task, however. It seemed as if everypony was staring right at him! It was making him nervous.

"Rime, could you make us disappear?" he asked.

"Sorry, Day, they already see us. It would just cause panic."

"Oh, yeah, I would guess so…"

Some of the tension was soon relieved. As Day walked further from the library, the crowd continued to thin. After a while, it was just the two friends.

"Happy now?" Rime jumped down and walked beside Day to relieve some of the boredom.

"Yep", Day replied plainly. He looked around. "Do you see the cottage?"

Rime shook his head. "No. Did you go the wrong way?"

"I don't think so." Day stopped and took in the surroundings. They were just outside the town. "Maybe we didn't walk far enough."

"Want me to check?" Rime started to shift his shape. His fore legs transformed into wings and his back legs into bird legs. Patches of his fur turned into feathers.

"No, we both know you can't fly in any form", Day said.

"Oh, fine!" Rime snapped. He canceled the morph and returned to his normal self. "Killjoy", he mumbled.

Day returned to walking west. Rime followed right along closely. They both listened as the wind blew over them. A few birds chirped here and there, but other than that, nothing broke the peace. Day could feel the ease that the day radiated. Even Rime seemed to be enjoying it. The kitsune hadn't said a word since he reverted back to his normal form. Day's mind drifted off. Thoughts of his early past started to come back to him, something of which didn't happen very often. Not a single, offending thought came into his mind. He was so absorbed in the peace that he didn't hear Rime yelling at him until the kitsune jumped up and landed on his head.

"Pay attention to me!" he screamed. "DAY!"

"Okay, okay, what did you want to tell me, Rime", Day asked without even a hint of agitation.

"We're almost there", Rime replied calmly.

"What?"

"Mmmhmm. Look." Rime pointed down the hill Day wasn't aware they had climbed.

He followed Rime's paw to a hollowed tree. It was perfectly crafted. The only things added on to the actual tree were the windows and the door. It was beautiful! There was absolutely nothing to upset the scenery! Around the house was full of burrows, bird houses, nests, and so many other such things. There were nests in the trees and a small bridge ran over a stream in the yard. As he walked through the yard, none of the animals scurried away. A few squirrels even scampered up to investigate them. Rime was astonished by the attention they were getting. He was used to animals running away from him.

"This is weirding me out", he said uneasily.

"Oh, come on, Rime, they're just fluffy little creatures", Day snickered.

Rime shifted his weight. "Whatever, still creepy."

Before he knew it, Day was at the front door of the cottage. He paused.

"Let's go, Day, move it or lose it!" Rime called.

The Earth Pony gulped. Shakily, he gave the door a few raps. A few seconds passed. If it wasn't for Rime's nagging, he would have left. Instead, he knocked again. This time he got a reply.

"Coming", called a voice softly.

The seconds ticked by. With each of them, Day found himself becoming more and more nervous. He was already breathing heavily and the door hadn't even opened yet.

They waited for a few more seconds. Then, the door creaked open.


	3. Fluttershy

Fluttershy

Daylight's breathing didn't only just slow when the door opened. It ceased completely. But what exactly could have supercharged his anxiety? How about the most beautiful pair of pale emerald eyes he had ever seen. His mouth could only hang open as his mind was left with a blank. His mental pause didn't last long, to his satisfaction as well as his dissatisfaction.

"Yes? May I help you?" Fluttershy asked softly. She didn't open the door much wider. She barely even had her head poked out.

Her words could barely be heard, but they still snapped Day back to semi-awareness. His mouth had yet to come back all the way, so his answer was a tad bit clumsy. "U-uh…job here I the am for."

Rime facepawed so hard that it caused Fluttershy to flinch. Day apparently was going to be broken for a while, so he had to do the talking. He grabbed the job notice and hopped down off the still stuttering stallion. Fluttershy looked down at him. Rime sighed heavily at his friend's panicky behavior. "Never mind him. We're here for the job." He unrolled the paper again. "We were told it was you who was offering it."

Fluttershy lingered on in silence. Her expression was hard for Rime to read. "You are Fluttershy, aren't you?"

The mare replied, "I am. Please forgive me for being so surprised, but it has been a while since I've seen a kitsune."

Instantly, Rime forgot all about the job and even cakes. "Really!? There's another pony in Equestria that knows about us?!"

His sudden excitement didn't upset Fluttershy in the least. It was quite understandable to be thrilled to hear that you weren't the only one of your kind. "Yes, I've actually read about them too. Did you know that an Elemental Kitsune such as yourself can survive in whatever element they represent no matter how harsh?"

"No. I didn't", Rime replied. He thought it was funny: hearing facts about himself that he didn't even know.

A sudden twitch from Daylight caught Fluttershy's attention. "Is he…?"

"Huh?" Rime turned around to see Daylight still freaking out. "Oh, yeah. Just as sec." Rime crouched down as low as he would go. Focusing all of his energy into his legs, he jumped as high as he could and came crashing down upon Day's head. He landed so hard that his feet stung.

Day instantaneously recovered from his shock. He shook his head and looked around to make sure Rime hadn't severely damaged any of his mental functions. It was the first time Rime had stomped on the ponies head so hard. He settled his eyes on Fluttershy. Again, he froze, but this time Rime had it covered. He lightly clamped his jaws down on Daylight's right ear.

It didn't hurt, but it sure kept Day from locking up a second time. The kitsune hopped down, pleased with his work. Day hurriedly apologized. "Sorry for that. I get nervous around other ponies. Like Rime was saying: We're here for the job."

Fluttershy blinked at what had just happened, but replied, "Yes, I am looking for help. I didn't expect strangers would be interested though."

"We do need the work", Day replied, "If you could hire us, it would be appreciated. We'll even work twice as hard. I promise we won't be a bother."

Rime added his own touch to the persuasion. "And when Daylight makes a promise, he keeps it!"

Fluttershy mulled over the situation. Making new friends was certainly great, especially if they had a mythological creature as a pet. However, they were strangers to her, and this new pony was very strange. Then again, so was just about everypony in Ponyville.

"If it's a problem", Day stated, seeing her mixed expressions, "We can find work elsewhere…"

"But Day!" moaned Rime, "She knows what I am. And what I can do!"

"I know but—"

Day didn't get to finish. Rime's outburst had pushed Fluttershy to a decision and a response. "You're hired", she declared softly.

Day and Rime could only stare at the Pegasus. A million thoughts forced their ways into the friends' heads. Rime spoke first. "Just like that?" he asked. "No questions asked?"

"Yes", Fluttershy answered, "I can't just turn down those in need."

"And you're sure it's okay to employ two complete strangers?" Day inquired.

She nodded. "If you promise to work honestly, then I see no reason why you can't have the job."

Day and Rime exchanged glances. They both looked back at Fluttershy. In perfect unison, they both said, "Where do we sign?"

Fluttershy giggled silently. They must have been together for a long time to accomplish that. Never-ending friendship always delighted her. She stepped aside and waved them in. "Come in. I have tea and sweets inside."

Fluttershy had Rime at "sweets". He bounced inside, completely overjoyed. Day faltered slightly, but walked in regardless. He would have hated it if Rime destroyed something in the first few minutes of employment.

The inside of the cottage was just as animal friendly as the yard. There were burrows, bird houses, and perches everywhere Day looked. Small stair cases led up to different places for the squirrels and chipmunks. A tea kettle whistled on a wood stove against the wall adjacent to the front door. It was perhaps the most peaceful home he had ever set hoof in.

"Hey, Day!" Rime called.

Day looked above him, where Rime had settled himself down on one of the elevated walkways.

"This place is awesome! There's all kinds of hidey holes and stairs and…uh, hidey holes!"

"That's great", said Day emotionlessly. "Just don't break _anything_."

"Oh, I'm sure he's just excited", Fluttershy said. Her sudden appearance made Day jump, but she didn't notice. "After all, kitsunes love to run around and play."

"Yeah", Day agreed.

"Yeah, so lighten up Daylight!"

Day's expression turned into a strict, scolding glare as he looked back up at the kitsune. Rime gulped, and backed down. He had almost crossed the line. Day decided to let the display of disrespect go since Rime was truly excited.

He turned his attention back to Fluttershy. She motioned him into the next room. "Just wait in there and I will be right in with the tea."

"Thank, you." Day turned. "Rime."

The kitsune hopped along the walkway above Day. There was a small hole above the door frame so he could stay on the path while he followed Day. This room didn't hold as many walkways or burrows. Fluttershy must use this room as the living room. It made sense. There was more pony-sized furniture. A red, diamond shaped space rug was spread across the floor. "It's definitely cozier…" Day pondered to himself.

He felt something hit him lightly in the back. "Bored already?" he asked Rime.

"Nope! I'm just waiting on those sweets!"

"That figures", Day replied.

The pair sat down on the couch against the far wall. Rime stretched out on the arm and rolled over on his back. Day reached out and rubbed the fox's belly. Rime smiled in pleasure. He squirmed in place, enjoying the massage Day was giving him. Day inwardly smiled. He let his hoof roam over to Rime's side.

"Day!" he giggled, "That tickles!"

"I know", Day replied slyly. He pushed his hoof a little harder into Rime's ribcage.

"Heehee! Stop!" Rime tried pushing the attacking hoof away. Day only pushed deeper. "Help!" he cried, "Help!"

Fluttershy walked in carrying a small tray. The heartwarming moment brought a small smile to her face. It didn't last too much longer. Day spotted her and quickly withdrew his calmed down. He breathed in a few deep breaths.

"Phew…" he sighed. He opened his eyes to see Fluttershy, upside down, carrying the tray towards them. His eyes immediately flew to the three cupcakes that sat near the kettle of tea. "Food!" He quickly rolled over and crouched low. He would have pounced if Day hadn't put a hoof on his tails. The look he gave Rime planted the kitsune to his seat.

"Please forgive me, but the tea wasn't quite ready yet." She placed the tray on the table in front of the couch and sat in the chair next to it.

The two ponies in the room didn't make a sound. Neither was willing to bring attention to his or herself.

After a few embarrassing seconds of silence, Rime stood up. "I'm guessing we should formally introduce ourselves now", he said. "I'm Rime, Day's Ice Kitsune brother."

Fluttershy glanced towards the fox. "Brother?"

"Yep, a long time ago, I saved this little guy's life", Day explained. "Ever since then, we've become so close we're family."

Rime smiled, showing his fang slightly.

"That's amazing", Fluttershy said. She didn't ask about the details because she didn't think it was the right time yet.

"Anyway, I'm Daylight, but Day works too", Day continued.

"I'm Fluttershy", the mare said quietly. "I care for many of the animals in Ponyville. That's sort of why I was looking for help. I bit off a little more than I could chew when I offered to help some of my friends…"

"Hey, Ms. Fluttershy?" Rime was practically drooling. He could smell those cupcakes and it was driving him nuts!

"Yes, Rime?"

"Can I have a cupcake?"

"Oh, yes. Help yourselves", Fluttershy replied happily.

"You can have mine too, Rime. I'm not in a snacking mood", Day said.

"Woohoo!" In a split second, Rime had dashed to the tray and back with the two cupcakes.

"Ms. Fluttershy?"

"Please just call me Fluttershy, Day."

"Fluttershy…I would really like to know the finer points of what we will be doing", he asked over the sounds of a cupcake being mutilated.

"Oh. It really depends on what I need immediate help with. You may have to feed some of the animals, or you might have to clean them. It's nothing too hard…"

"That'll be easy!" Rime boasted. He licked some of the frosting from his lips. "Me and Day loves us some animals!"

The voice Rime used almost made Day roll over in laughter. He kept his posture in check, however. Nothing could break his bearing.

"Really?" Fluttershy asked, "The last kitsune I met wasn't very friendly towards other animals. He even tried to eat Angel, my pet rabbit."

"You don't have to worry about that", assured Day, "Rime's a vegetarian."

The look of surprise that shown on Fluttershy's face caused the said kitsune to speak. "Yep. That's right! I only eat vegetables! And fruits. And cakes. And candy…" Rime grew more and more quiet as he listed off the other things that he loved to eat.

Day went on, "When do we start?"

"Right now, there isn't much to do. I do need to pick up some feed for the squirrels and chickens…I guess you could do that…I mean, if you really want to…" She blushed a slight shade of pink over the request.

Day stood. "Consider it done."

"You don't have to go now", Fluttershy objected gently.

"But don't you think it's best to finish a job early?"

"Day!" Rime shouted, "Not yet! I'm still tired!"

The yellow pony shrugged, "Well, if you both insist I'll stay for now." He sat back down next to Rime, who had just licked what little cupcake was left on the arm of the couch.

"Oh, wonderful!" Fluttershy cheered through a whisper.

"But what am I going to do until then?"

The Pegasus thought about it. "I could show you around…"

"That'll work", Day replied, "It'll keep me from getting lost."

"No it won't", Rime snickered. He jumped onto the table and looked at Fluttershy. "If there's one thing Daylight doesn't have, it's a sense of direction."

The yellow mare smiled, and even giggled slightly.

Day flinched at the sound without the slightest clue why. Unfortunately, Rime saw him. A devilish smile spread under his muzzle. Day only frowned indifferently. "Rime's got me on that one. No matter where we go, it's usually the wrong place."

"I get lost a lot too…" Fluttershy's attempt to make her guest feel better wasn't really needed, and it didn't seem to work. Day didn't even smile.

She sighed to herself when he spoke up. "I told Rime that I'm not the only pony that gets lost." Day shot the kitsune a victorious glance, without the smile of course. Rime just rolled his eyes. "Told you so", Day added. This earned him what he was looking for. Rime gave Day an annoyed growl. The Earth Pony nearly smiled in satisfaction.

Rime hurried to think of a comeback. The evil grin returned to his face. "That's okay, Day", he said in his childish tone. Day automatically knew Rime had something plan. "The bet's already in my favor."

Day seized up. A blush quickly spread across his cheeks and nose. He almost started shuddering and babbling with mixed up sentences again.

Fluttershy watched how his nervousness only got worse when he glanced at her and quickly looked away. Rime was snickering to himself. Finally, she decided to ask, "What bet?"

Her curiosity put Day's blush into overdrive. It was so deep that a tomato would have disappeared if it were placed in front of it. "U-uh…nothing…Rime's just trying to…yank…yank my chains." He deepened his breaths and closed his eyes. Slowly, the blush faded and the yellow came back to Day's face.

Rime might like to tease, but if he answered Fluttershy, it would have compromised the bet. The little stunt did gain him some insurance. Day would think twice before teasing him again. The Ice Kitsune huffed in triumph.

"Oh, okay", Fluttershy said. She could see in their eyes that they were both hiding something. It wasn't something bad, but it was definitely something worth figuring out. You see, Fluttershy was hiding something of her own. She may not have told anypony else, but she loved mysteries. _It's time to get to the bottom of this… _she thought to herself. Just thinking that phrase made her giddy on the inside. It would be her first ever real time she could put her detective skills to the test. Maybe all those mystery novels she read would pay off after all. Even if it was just finding out what a simple bet was.

To kick off the investigation, she stood.

"Daylight, Rime", she called softly, "Would you like to come with me and explore Ponyville?"

They nodded their heads. The investigation was officially kicked off.

**And that does it for the fifth trial run. Just one more before the big updates! Bunch of surprises to come, so please keep up to date! Also, any reviews would be a great help.  
**


	4. Starting the Day Off

Starting the Day Off

As the three left Fluttershy's cottage, they found themselves engulfed in the sunshine of the day. Day lifted a hoof to shield his face from the blast of heat that hit them after leaving the cool inside of the house.

"Yow!" Rime shouted. "That's hot! I'm gonna melt! Day, save me!"

"Go to your room and go into Cocoon Mode until I say you can come back out", Day instructed.

Rime immediately did as he was told. He hopped into the saddlebag's biggest pocket. Fluttershy saw the outside of the pocket cake over with frost and ice crystals.

"I didn't expect it to get so hot so fast", Day explained to Fluttershy. "Rime can't handle the heat for long being an Ice Kitsune."

She nodded in understanding. "I've never met an Ice Kitsune before, but I have read many books about them."

"Me too." Day replied. "And most of them are wrong. At least with Rime" He turned in an attempt to get off the subject. "Where are we going first?"

"If it's okay with you, how about to visit some of my friends? It might be a good thing if you're going to be staying for a while."

Day paused nervously. "I guess it couldn't hurt…"

"Oh, great! I know the perfect pony to meet first!" Fluttershy cheer-whispered.

Daylight let Fluttershy lead the way and followed behind. He didn't like the idea of meeting any more ponies, but for the sake of retaining his manners, he had no choice. The two walked silently along for a while. Day watched as different ponies passed them by. He grumbled. More stares. He did his best to ignore them. His attention was mostly occupied on where it was Fluttershy was taking him. His hopes were set on a very calm place. Along the way, he made sure he was keeping his composure at its best. The last thing he needed was to make a scene and draw attention to himself.

"When did you and Rime arrive in Ponyville?" Fluttershy asked.

"This morning", Day replied. Then to keep from being rude, he added, "We were camping out in a valley outside of town."

"I don't know if I could ever travel like that", Fluttershy admitted. "So many things can happen…"

"…Not many ponies can." Day looked up to the sky, "It's hard for us."

"Hard for you maybe!" Rime called from his pocket.

"Rime's just in it for the ride", Day explained.

"Am not!" Rime shouted, "I like the cakes too!"

Fluttershy laughed quietly to herself. She was about to say something, but Daylight was a second faster.

"About how long will we have to work a day", he asked to avoid any personal questions.

"Oh, well…" Fluttershy began, "I'll only need help from eight in the morning until three in the afternoon. I was thinking that would be plenty of time to take care of most of the animals. I can take care of everything else after that."

"What about days off?" Rime called.

"Rime, hush." Daylight called back.

"I don't know", said Fluttershy, "What days would you like to have off?"

"Personally", Day answered, "I'll work twenty-four seven. I don't have a single problem with it. It's only Rime that needs the break. He can't handle a lot of work."

"Yes I can!"

Day ignored him. "He'll need at least every other third day to rest."

"That's fine with me", Fluttershy said with a smile. "And if you ever need a day off, Day, and I'll be fine with giving you whichever day you need for a break."

"I'll keep that in mind. A low grumble came from his stomach. Daylight chose to disregard it.

However, it brought major concern to the yellow Pegasus. Almost immediately, she asked, "Daylight, are you hungry?"

"I'll be fine", Day replied, trying to dismiss it as nothing. Then he whispered to himself, "I've starved before…"

"I don't think so."

Her tone startled the Earth Pony into stopping. It was very authoritative, yet almost as soft as usual. Before he could even open his mouth, she continued.

"No pony will go hungry on my watch", she said sternly.

_Where is this coming from? _He asked in his head. She seemed so delicate. Then again, he had only just met her.

"Well, since you insist, I guess I could go for something to eat", he said in semi-bewilderment.

She smiled. "What would you like to eat?"

"CAKE!" The saddlebag's pocket rustled fiercely.

Day rolled his eyes. "I'm okay with anything." He shrugged. "I'm not very picky."

"I know just the place", Fluttershy said, changing direction to one of her favorite restaurants.

Day followed without question. The less he talked, the better.

Day couldn't help but feel out of place as he sat in the booth against the back wall of wherever it was Fluttershy had brought them. It had been several years at least before he was in a public eatery. Normally he would have objected to it, but he just didn't want to say "no" to Fluttershy. He wasn't exactly sure what it was about her, but he thought it had something to do with the fact that she might be a pretty scary pony when angry.

"Day, can I come out now?" Rime moaned annoyingly.

He tested the air. "Yeah, Rime, you'll be alright in here."

"Yahoo!" The kitsune practically flew from out of the pocket and to the top of Day's head. "I smell breadsticks!"

Day sniffed the air. "And lavender."

"Ewwww, keep your nasty flowers. I just want cake." Rime rubbed his belly. A drop of drool formed at the corner of his mouth and fell into Day's mane.

"Hey!" he growled, "Manners! We are in a public restaurant and as guests of Fluttershy!"

"Oh, speaking of her", the blue fox said, "Where is she?"

"Bathroom, ordering, you got me", he answered bluntly. "She just said she'd be right back. Weren't you paying attention?"

Rime ignored the rhetorical question. "Okay, good!"

"Why is that good?"

He hopped down to the table. He was grinning widely. "Now we can talk about getting that kiss from—"

With a blush and wide eyes, Day clamped a hoof over Rime's muzzle. "Not here, furball! Better yet, not ever."

Fluttershy was flying back with the three meals she ordered for the group. She hadn't expected the food to take so long, but the delay worked to her advantage. She was just in earshot of Rime when he told Day it wouldn't be much longer until the bet was over. Whatever it was, she supposed it wasn't very important. She didn't get to eavesdrop anymore before Rime spotted her.

"Food!" He ran to the edge of the table to be the first to see what was on the menu.

"I'm so sorry it took so long, but they were backed up", she apologized.

"It's fine, Fluttershy, we're in no rush." Day replied.

"Says you!" yelled Rime. "I'm starved!"

"Well", Fluttershy told him happily, "It's a good thing I ordered a whole fruit salad just for you!"

Rime's eyes lit up like fireworks as she set the plate at the other end of the table for him to follow. "Thank you, Fluttershy!" He helped himself, aiming to devour every piece of fruit on the plate. The sweet flavor may not have been from a cake, but fruits were a close second.

"You're welcome, Rime", she giggled warmly.

Day flinched at the giggle. Luckily, Rime didn't see. The clank of a plate set down in front of him caused him to look up.

"I hope you like lavender." Fluttershy moved to sit opposite of the two boys. "It makes a great breakfast."

Day didn't even show the smallest hint of a smile. "It does…Thank you, Fluttershy."

"Oh, think nothing of it", she replied, "It's my pleasure."

Day looked down at his plate in thought. It sure was weird. Fluttershy had known them just short of two hours and she just bought them breakfast. _Is this a dream_, he wondered. He took a bite of his meal. The lavender's tangy flavor filled his mouth. _Nope_, he thought, _It's real. How could somepony just buy us breakfast like this? It doesn't seem natural…_

Fluttershy watched the two eat in between bites of her daffodil sandwich. She took note of how different they were. How energetic and happy Rime was. And how distant and dreary Day seemed. Day's personality worried her. Why would somepony be so sad? She thought back to the cottage when Day was tickling Rime. He wasn't smiling, but there was something in his eyes then…something that wasn't misery… And why did he stop so suddenly when she walked in? If you asked her, it was as if he didn't want her to see that. To her it was something that might be worth looking into.

Rime had finished his salad and was now standing in front of Fluttershy's plate hopefully. "Fluttershy?"

She jumped, her thoughts interrupted. "Yes, Rime?"

"Can I maybe have a slice of cake?" He gave her his best begging face.

Day looked up. "Rime…" He knew Rime wasn't being spoiled, but he hated how Rime seemed so comfortable about asking for things sometimes.

"Don't worry, Daylight, I don't mind buying Rime a slice." An idea hit her. She held out her hoof. "Day, you won't mind if I take Rime to pick out the flavor do you?"

He sighed. He already didn't feel right for letting Fluttershy buy them breakfast. A look into Fluttershy's eyes changed her mind. For some reason his head nodded on its own. Something about her eyes made him feel at peace, like all of his problems never existed. He stopped thinking about it when she walked away with Rime on her shoulder. He sighed and returned to his breakfast. At least he would have some time to think without Rime dancing on his nerves.

"So, Rime, how long have you and Day been traveling together?" Fluttershy asked on the way to the cake counter. They were by now out of earshot of Day, which was good for her investigation.

"I've been with Day for three years, but he's been traveling for six", Rime answered happily. He barely thought about what he said, the only thing on his mind was the scent of chocolate.

And that was just what Fluttershy had planned. "Three years is a long time to be real close friends, huh?"

"Yup! We're the best!" He scampered to the top of Fluttershy's head. The smell was getting stronger and was driving him crazy!

Fluttershy picked her questions out carefully. She didn't want Rime to catch onto what she was doing. She was no fool. Rime was at least two thousand years old despite his child like demeanor. If she wasn't careful, she could blow the whole investigation. "Do you have fun traveling?"

"You bet!"

"What do you do for fun?" Fluttershy asked as he scampered from her head to the cake case.

He was no longer interested in answering anymore of Fluttershy's questions. His mind was now stuck in trying to make the decision of what kind of cake he wanted. He pressed his face into the glass, looking over the different pastries with drool flowing from his mouth. He rolled his gaze over the cakes until it fell on a dark chocolate icing cake with fudge syrup crisscrossing the top. It was sprinkled with chocolate chips and fudge shavings.

"That one!" He screamed tapping on the glass.

Daylight sat quietly back in the booth. To be honest he would prefer work over the crowded diner. He watched pony after pony pass by him. He had finished his breakfast shortly after Fluttershy and Rime left for cake, so now there was nothing left to do but embrace boredom. He yawned. Oh, Celestia was he tired. He put his head down on the table. The cool surface gave him a jolt of energy, but not enough to wake him up completely. If he had to jump off a cliff to get a decent night's sleep, hesitation would be no object in his decision. He looked up in time to see Fluttershy returning with a cake-covered Rime on her shoulder. He was busy licking himself clean.

He rolled his eyes. "How's the cake, Rime?"

The kitsune only responded with, "MMM!"

"He just couldn't help himself." Fluttershy set Rime down. "He certainly loves his sweets."

"Time to go?" Day scooted to the edge of his seat hopefully.

Since Fluttershy had already eaten enough to fill her up, she nodded. Day sighed in relief. He grabbed his saddlebag. Rime hopped to the top of Day's head. The Earth Pony cringed at the saliva and chocolate covered kitsune. "I'm going to need a bath later", he mumbled to himself.

Fluttershy led them outside and to Day it looked like she was still going to introduce them to her friend. Thinking fast, he said, "Fluttershy, isn't it time to get that food and start work for the day."

"But Day", Rime whine.

"No buts, Rime."

Fluttershy looked up to see that the sun was almost directly above Ponyville. "Oh, we'll be very behind if we don't get started on our chores", she said. "I'm sorry, but we'll have to visit my friends another time…"

"That's fine with me", said Day with a silent sigh in relief.

"Mmmmrrrr…" Rime grumbled. Boy did he hate to work.

The walk back to Fluttershy's home seemed longer to Day than when they had walked to the diner. It was probably because he was so eager to get out of everypony's line of sight. The sun was still beating down, so Rime had found himself once again in Cocoon Mode in his pocket of Day's saddlebag. Fluttershy guided them in a different direction than Day remembered travelling to her cottage. It was then he realized his mistake. He forgot that they needed to go pick up the feed from a store somewhere. He followed Fluttershy through the town, wondering just how much longer it would be before heading back to the least crowded place in Ponyville.

Fluttershy was having her own problems. The urge to question Day was largely present in her mind. She wanted desperately to solve her first case, no matter how small it was. She couldn't figure out what to ask to get any closer to the answer. Maybe not all cases were solved so easily, especially for a beginner like her. All she needed was more time.

Fluttershy glanced around to see that the yellow Earth Pony was lost in his thoughts. A light blush crossed her face when he saw how innocently curious he looked.

Just more time is what she needed with him…

**We finally have a kickoff! Many surprises to come, and maybe a mystery or two too.**


	5. As the Day Goes By

As the Day Goes By

Daylight remained silent as he carried the bag of feed back to Fluttershy's cottage. He and Rime were alone now as they walked back. Fluttershy gave him the directions and instructed him that all he needed to do until he got back was feed the animals. He would have been okay with that job if he wasn't walking alone in the busiest part of the day. He stared at the ground as he carried the bag on his back. He did NOT want to meet anypony's eye.

"How much farther?!" Rime complained.

"I don't know. Just pipe down", Daylight replied.

"But I CAN'T. It's my natural born instinct to annoy you!"

Day nearly laughed, "I believe that completely."

"Oh, you're no fun!" Rime sat with a huff on top of the bag of feed. The heat of the day was no longer an issue for the kitsune. Fluttershy had bought him some ice to snack on and keep him cool. It was something Day had never thought of, and it actually worked.

"Life's easier without fun", Day stated, choosing not to include his usual explanation about not ever smiling.

"Says you!" Rime hopped down and changed into a senile version of the yellow pony. "You're going to grow up to be an old grouch!"

Day rolled his eyes. "At least I'll be a happy grouch."

"How can you be happy without friends?" Rime challenged.

"Very carefully." Day ignored the painful truth, knowing Rime had no bad intentions. "I'll get friends sooner or later." He didn't know it, but by saying that he just opened himself up for an onslaught led by General Rime.

The little fox concentrated and transformed into a yellow Pegasus. "Friends like me?" Rime said in Fluttershy's voice. He batted the illusion's eyelashes flirtatiously.

Day looked away, blushing. "Stop that."

"Why?" the miniature Fluttershy moved into his field of view. "Are you nervous to look at such a pretty girl?"

Day's blush spread from his cheeks to his ears. "Rime, knock it off", he begged quietly.

Rime was enjoying himself, so now he brought out the big guns. "Aaaaawwww, you're cute when you blush."

Irritated, Day finally had his fill. "Modoso", he chanted. The spell forced Rime to change back into his kitsune form.

He was still smiling despite Day using the spell on him. "Mad much?"

Day ignored him. He continued on the path that was supposed to lead to Fluttershy's cottage. "That wasn't funny."

Rime almost laughed himself to pieces. "You should see the look on your face! I've never seen you so red!"

Day stopped, confused. He looked around. "I think we've been here before."

Rime rose up on his hind legs and gave the air a sniff. "I don't think so."

"Let the professional give it a try", Day said. He stuck his nose up and breathed in. "Yeah. And that means we're lost. Charcoal and it's a busy day…"

"Be lucky they're not staring at you", Rime said optimistically.

"True", he agreed, "But what are we supposed to do? I don't know how to get back to the western gate from here. Or the library"

"Then just walk outta town until and go around until you see it."

"You say that like it's obvious."

"It is!"

Day huffed. "Fine." Rime hopped to the top of his head as he turned. It was then he realized what horrible luck he had. He had made eye contact with the assistant librarian from earlier.

"Hello", Dream Runner said, "I see you've gotten the job."

"…Yeah."

"Need any help?"

Day quickly shook his head.

"He's lost", Rime put bluntly.

"Rime."

Dream saw that the yellow pony wasn't very sociable, so he decided to spare him the awkwardness. "From here head north until you get to the prank shop, then just like before go west."

"Thanks."

The two immediately parted ways. Day walked away as briskly as he could.

"Go faster, Day, I'm barely getting a breeze!" Rime shouted in between bites of ice.

"I'm not a fair ride, Rime." Day was barely looking where he was going. His field of vision was high enough to give him just enough heads up to keep from running into something.

"I can't wait until night. You're so much more fun, then." Rime crossed his paws when he didn't get a reply.

Day picked up his hooves a little more and began a slow gallop. He wasn't going to _completely _take the fun out of Rime's life.

"Woooo! That's more like it!" Rime stood up and leaned into the wind. "Faster!"

Day picked up the pace as quickly as he could. The bag of feed on his back was starting to get heavy. He hoped he wouldn't have to stop to rest before getting to Fluttershy's. The ponies were whizzing by, bringing relief to Day, as he wouldn't have to face them while running. He ran and ran, ignoring Rime's outbursts. He eventually closed his eyes to heighten his sense of ignorance to the crowded town. He didn't know it, but his hooves moved faster on their own, leaving some ponies to cringe at how close he ran to them at such speed.

"DAY!" Rime screamed.

The Earth Pony flinched and stumbled forward. He forgot about the bag on his back and wasn't able to adjust for the imbalance. He fell to the ground, leaving the bag to burst into a thousand kibbles upon exploding against the ground. "Ugh…Rime…why'd you do that?"

"You were Blind Running again", explained the Ice Kitsune. He climbed to the top of Day's chest and looked him in the face.

"Celestia, I was?" He pushed himself up and inspected the damage. The pellets of food lay scattered all over the ground. He groaned, "Oh, come on!"

"Good news!" Rime cheered. "We made it!"

Day looked around. Somehow, he managed to run into Fluttershy's yard, leaving him amazed at either how fast or how long he was running before Rime shouted. He was just about to have Rime help him clean up his mess, but another pony spoke first.

"Oh, my, what happened?" Fluttershy asked.

Day felt his body tense up. He didn't reply. He knew Rime would talk for him. All he needed to do was apologize. After what Rime did, he couldn't look Fluttershy in the face.

"Daylight tripped and the bag went like sssshhhhhbackooom!" Rime threw his paws in the air to simulate the exaggerated explosion.

"Sorry, Fluttershy." Day stood up, refusing to look at her. "I'll get it cleaned up." He stood up and began using his hooves to sweep the mess into a big pile.

"Yeah, he'll get it cleaned up", Rime said. He wouldn't have cleaned even if he wanted to. Day would take responsibility and refuse to let him clean up with him.

"I'll help you", Fluttershy declared. "Rime, there are a few bowls right inside the front door. Could you bring them here please?"

The kitsune took off for the cottage before she changed her mind.

"Are you sure?" asked Day, "I mean, it's my fault there's a mess in the first place."

"It's okay." Fluttershy smiled, "I'm sure it wasn't on purpose."

Day nodded, but kept his gaze on the ground. He wasn't going to look up until he was finished. He didn't want to look at her for fear of blushing again. Fluttershy used her tail and wings to help sweep up. With the combined effort—most of it coming from Fluttershy's ability to sweep up twice as more—they were done right after they had started. To Day's dismay, it left them alone as they waited on Rime to get back.

Fluttershy found that it was a perfect opportunity to get on with the investigation. She had Day cornered, not that she knew he was avoiding her questions. They sat awkwardly until Fluttershy decided it was time to break the silence. "Rime told me you have been traveling for six years."

_Darn it Rime!_ He nodded. "That's right."

"You don't get lonely do you?"

"Not since I met Rime", Daylight replied.

"Doesn't he ever—"

"I'm back!" Rime came running with the bowls all stacked on his back. They were huge compared to him, but it didn't stop him from running at full speed.

Day sighed in relief. Fluttershy was prying where he didn't want her to. He would have to deal with it later. He couldn't risk letting anything about his past slip. It would only bring turmoil. He remained silent, glad that Rime was keeping Fluttershy busy with his hyperactive mouth. With the three working together, it didn't take very long to get the mess cleaned up. Day grabbed the empty, torn bag and followed the two to the cottage. He walked slower than Fluttershy. She was so absorbed in Rime that she didn't notice. It wasn't long before the cottage's wildlife once again crowded him. The animals were bolder now, and a white rabbit jumped on his back.

"Huh?" Day turned his head to see the furry creature eyeing him suspiciously. The yellow pony didn't immediately know what to do. The rabbit crossed his paws. _Oh, great_, Day thought, _A rabbit with an attitude. _He attempted to shake Angel off, but he held on tight. "Go on, get off."

The rabbit shook his head stubbornly. He began to tap his rear foot against Day's saddlebag. Daylight shook a little harder and was just short of bucking before Fluttershy intervened.

"Angel, you know better than to tease ponies." She held out her wing and the rabbit happily hopped ponies. "I'm sorry, Day, but Angel gets a little antsy around strangers." She gave him a pat. "When he gets to know you, though, you'll see he can be the sweetest thing in the world."

Day wasn't convinced with the way Angel kept glaring at him. He just arrived in Ponyville and already some small furry creature hates his very existence. He shrugged, at least Equestria's consistent. It was then he noticed that Rime had disappeared. He looked around; there was no kitsune anywhere. _Come on, Rime! _Now Day had to stay frosty, or risk becoming frosty. He knew Fluttershy was safe. Rime knew exactly what would happen if he attacked the yellow Pegasus. Day couldn't even think of a punishment that would be sufficient enough for an offense so bad.

So, with that knowledge, Day knew he was the priority target, which wasn't so bad considering Rime had been doing it for so long that it rarely caught the colt by surprise. He looked around, but figured it wasn't worth getting paranoid. So, he just focused on getting to the cottage. Fluttershy had already gone back scolding Angel, and forgot about Day altogether, which was a plus for him. The less time he talked to the mare, the better. The thought of her made him wonder what was left on the day's to-do list. He really wanted to get some more work out of the way to prove his work ethic, but more importantly, make sure he had less free time. He hesitated as he reached the bottom step. If he went inside, he would be alone with Fluttershy, which was not good for him.

"Nadare!"

By the time Day figured out what had happened, a small mountain of snow buried him alive. He resisted the shock of the cold and dug his way out of the snow. On the outside, he spotted Fluttershy, wide eyed and covering her mouth, and Rime sitting on top of the hill smiling down at him. "Like my new trick?"

Day glared at him. "Do it again, and I'll turn you pink."

Rime faked a gasp. "Oh, no! Good thing I figured out a way around that."

Day climbed out and, as if nothing had happened, asked Fluttershy, "What's there to do now?"

* * *

Sometime passed since the incident with the busted bag of feed, and now Day found himself with a bucket of corn in his mouth feeding Fluttershy's chickens. He waved the bucket from side to side, careful not to step on the clucking birds as they happily pecked at the ground. Day glanced over to where Rime was climbing the trees to get food to the squirrel nests. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Fluttershy feeding the fish. No eyes on him. Good. He continued with his feeding until there was no more corn in his bucket. He hung the bucket on a rusting nail, and pushed his way out of through the gate. He wasn't sure what to do now, so he left to go help Rime.

Fluttershy kept watching the Earth Pony out of her peripheral vision. She wanted very badly to keep the investigation up, but didn't know exactly what to ask him. A frustrated sigh escaped her lips. "Maybe I'm just not good at investigating", she told one of the salmon in the small stream. It didn't discourage her much; she was still determined to solve her first case, even if it meant it had to be her last. But how could she improve her skills even just a little? "I could read another mystery novel", she pondered. That thought gave her a brilliant idea. "Or…I can go to the library to see if Twilight has any how-to books!"

"How to do what?" Rime asked just behind her.

She nearly jumped out of her skin. "Oh, um, how to fix up, um…"

"The broken birdhouse out front?"

"Yes, that's it Rime! A few of the blue jays are really upset that they can't use it right now", she said nervously. "I'll be back in a bit. You and Day can take the rest of the afternoon off."

"Okay! I'll go tell Day!" Rime bounded off in search of the pony.

Fluttershy sighed. She didn't get caught. Slipping away, Fluttershy quickly flew into the heart of Ponyville, where she would finally get the edge she needed to solve her case. Behind her, she could still hear Rime excitedly yelling about having free time. Once she had a good altitude, Fluttershy opened her wings and glided down to just over the buildings. The library wasn't a long flight, so it wasn't much longer before her hooves touched down right on the welcome mat. The library was open for the day, letting her know a knock wasn't needed. She walked in, and the bell rang with the opening door.

"Hey, Fluttershy!" Twilight left her podium in the back of the room to greet her fellow Element.

"Hi, Twilight." Fluttershy gave her a quick hug. "I need a little help with something."

* * *

"For the last time, we aren't lost."

"Then tell me how to get back from here!"

Day growled. He just had to take Rime with him on a walk through the forest. He alone was enough to drive him crazy, and it didn't help that he was becoming increasingly stressed out. _I need a vacation…_

"I heard that!"

Day stopped. "What have I told you about mind-reading?!"

"Does it look like I ever do what you say?" Rime crossed his paws. "I don't have to do anything!"

"Oh, yeah", Day asked challengingly. "Then I guess you don't need me to buy your cakes anymore."

Adrenaline pumped through Rime's body. "Hey, I was just kidding! Let' not do anything we'll regret!"

"Oh, no, I won't regret it." Day smiled for the first time since walking into Everfree Forest.

"Yes you will, cuz I'll die and then you'll live with the guilt of my death on your conscience!"

Day laughed, "Ha! If worse comes to worst, then I'll just be cursed with being haunted by you!"

"That means I get cakes and you don't get haunted!"

"Deal." Day chuckled. He loved his arguments with Rime. They never ceased to amuse him.

Rime's attention got pulled away and to the surrounding woods. "Jeez, this place is deep."

"That's good", Day said happily. "We can stay longer than usual."

"Really?" Rime jumped down and looked up at Day hopefully.

He nodded. "If things keep going the way they are, then we might stay for a week or two."

"Yes!" Rime jumped back on top of Day. "We can stock up on a lot of cakes with that much time!"

"And money." Daylight broke into a medium trot. "With what Fluttershy's paying us, we'll be set for months by the time we leave."

Rime fell over. "This is awesome…"

A gentle breeze fell over the two travelers. Both remained quiet to preserve the peace. Rime managed to calm down so much that he was soon snoozing on Day's back. The Earth Pony figured he had passed out from the excitement of gaining a few ounces by devouring sweets. The forest around them was very appealing to him. There was no wildlife, and more importantly, no ponies around. Perfect.

* * *

"Thanks, Twilight!" Fluttershy called for the last time before flying back home.

Twilight waved her goodbye and closed the library door. The two books she gave Fluttershy had the Pegasus so excited Twilight was afraid that she would hurt herself. She had no idea why Fluttershy would want two investigator's guides, but shrugged it off as not important.

When Fluttershy got back, she noticed that the window of the guest bedroom she offered Rime and Day was illuminated. She almost flew up to it to eavesdrop on the two, but thought it was best to read her books first. Instead, she flew in her front door and started on dinner for them. They were going to be staying with her for a while, so it stood to reason that she was going to take care of them.

And, who knows, maybe she could get Day to smile in that time. She pictured the colt with a small grin, and giggled. "He sure would look cute if he smiled." She froze in the middle of grabbing a pot from a cabinet. "Did I just say that?" She hastily looked around to see if anypony had heard her. She sighed, she was alone.

That was, after a certain white rabbit hopped away after hearing what she had said.

**Dat cuteness! This was quite hard to write with all of the delays I kept getting. I almost had to reschedule the update! Could you imagine if I was late on an update!? Anyways, I wonder just what Angel is up to, and why exactly he has a problem with Daylight…**

****Poll Alert****

**I have put a new poll up on my profile and I encourage all of my readers to cast a vote. It is very important that you do!**

**Chapter Trivia:**

**Since kitsunes appear in Japanese mythology, I decided to add a few Japanese words to act as spells for Day to use on Rime and for Rime to use on Day. The word "modoso" means "revert" , so Day had chanted that to get Rime to change back. And funny enough, the word "nadare" means "avalanche", so you see exactly what Rime did there.**

**I originally intended for Fluttershy to hold off on the investigation about midway through this chapter, but figured that a little alone time would do them both some good and deepen the plot slightly. Instead of Fluttershy going to get those books, I had her egg Day on and get him to blush a lot because she thought it was cute. I decided that it was too early on for it and went with the revision you can see now.**

**Day's dismal side actually comes from my old personality. I used to be very straightforward and quiet, unlike my cheery and drawn-out self today, so it's quite easy for me to characterize him.**

**Update in twelve days!**


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